I like this movie. It's become a favorite. What I would like to know is.... what is that peice of mucic that he puts on the radio when he is in the hotel trying to cover up the sound of the hammering ? I love that music. I want to get a copy of it.

A rather silly crime picture. The cops are so dumb.
One of the highlights of this flick are the cars which is the only thing that holds my interest.

I'd forgotten, but it was on the cable classic movies channel once.
It's okay, but I doubt I'll ever watch it again.

Gangster story is n't really bad film when you consider the fact they didn't have alot of money to work with here and the script was rewritten
practically by Mr. Matthau everyday of the shooting schedule. They used what was avaliable
including a very young Vic Tayback in the scene at the country club. They did rather well. P.S
more of Mr matthau films,please including Charade
and maybe Engsign Pulver and maybe Onionhead.

Let us count the ways.
The Title alone is a dead give away.
Introducing Carol Grace.... Mrs. Matthau
Matthau must of been Blackmailed to do this.
Perhaps he made a promise to Carol and had to keep it.

Opening title card looks like he ripped the cover off a 10ÃÂâ Detective Novel. A Walter Matthau Movie here is the ONLY Reason to see this. Carol Grace made One other Movie. Other wise was a Well Known and Liked Stage Actress.

Walter didn't like her making movies I guess, Kinda Sunk her career there!

Ths is Just a Carol Grace Vanity Film. Worth seeing for that alone. Walter didn't like making this I think, he really stinks the film up.
Every thing is wrong with this movie. But I'm glad I can tell others about it!

So bad it's good. At times this film is trying to be funny, at times it's trying to be crime drama. Matthau's directorial debut (and he never directed another one after this.) Very low-budget (check out the loud curtains in the "LA" hotel room...they appear again in the apartment on Irvine Avenue.) Mediocre story about a bank robber who gets mixed up with the mob.

What's hilarious is that this movie was shot mostly in Orange County, CA, at a time when "The OC" was nothing more than bucolic orange groves and wholesome little housing tracts. Strange setting for a crime story. Orange County Gangsters?

Examples: The mob-boss lives in a nice suburban ranch-house in what looks to be Costa Mesa or Corona Del Mar. The gangsters all hang out in sleepy little downtown Dana Point and Anaheim. They have a big confrontation in the orange groves of San Juan Capistrano. The bookie-joint operates out of the Newport Beach Country Club. Quite the gentrified locales.

As a result, these gangsters aren't like the tough-talking New York or Chicago variety we are accustomed to seeing in film noir. No wise-guys here. These are super-mellow Southern California gangsters, drenched in sunshine and never far from the beach. Surf's up, Godfather!